Bill Bailey (bailebi02)

Harry Lewis Bailey

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10½", Weight 170 lb.

• Debut April 21, 1911
• Final Game May 27, 1911
• Born November 19, 1881 in Shawnee, OH USA
• Died October 27, 1967 in Seattle, WA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Harry Lewis Bailey is known as "Bill", possibly because the famous song "(Won't You Come Home), Bill Bailey" came out in 1902, when Bailey would have been around 20 years old. The other major league Bill Bailey really was named William, and came up four years before this Bailey, so the name was already in the minds of baseball fans.

Harry was born in Shawnee, OH, a month before Branch Rickey was born in Ohio. He played nine years in the minors (1906-1914), and came to the majors in April 1911 with the New York Highlanders. With the Highlanders, Bailey was managed by Hal Chase, who was one year younger than him. The previous year he had been with the Lancaster Red Roses, and his .257 batting average was actually one of the better performances on the team. The Red Roses that year also included Stan Coveleski and John Coveleski.

Related Sites

• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Bill Bailey